December 3, 2014, New York – Today, Kimberlé Crenshaw, Executive Director of the African American Policy Forum (AAPF) released the following statement in response to the tragic news that the Grand Jury in the Eric Garner case failed to indict Daniel Pantaleo, the police officer who was caught on video, killing him with an illegal chokehold:

“Our hearts go out to the loved ones of Eric Garner who now must bear this heartbreaking decision. We are immensely saddened by the non-indictment of Officer Daniel Pantaleo and dismayed that such a low bar of probable cause could not be met in the face of a clear videotaped homicide of a man pleading simply to be left alone. The only thing lower than the standard that had to be met to proceed to a trial is apparently the value of the lives of Black men, women and children. In the face of such profound injustices, we must demand courageous leadership from our president, governor and mayor now more than ever. We must show our power in the streets through protest and with our wallets through economic boycott. We cannot rest until we’ve achieved meaningful reform of our criminal justice system."